The changing of the calendar brings with it many things, including fresh starts and renewed goals, but also the perfect opportunity to give your Chevy the attention it deserves. Why wait until spring cleaning when the winter season can have such a negative impact on your vehicle? If you didn’t get service before winter kicked in, now is certainly the time. Regardless of which model you have, your Chevy car, truck or SUV deserves some routine maintenance to ensure that it keeps running smoothly and safely all year long. So, today we have a New Year Maintenance checklist for all of your Chevy owners out there!
Schedule an Oil & Filter Change
Make sure to take a peek at that little sticker up in the top left corner of your windshield, if you have one. There should be both a date and a mileage listed on there, have you passed either of them? If so, or if either one is approaching quickly, it’s time to schedule an oil & filter change. Over time, your oil can break down and become less effective at lubricating critical components. If for whatever reason you don’t have a sticker and you’re unsure when your last oil change was, schedule an appointment anyways and we’ll take care of you.
Test Your Battery Health
We’re smack dab in the middle of the coldest months of the year, which can be really tough on car batteries. The last thing you want is to become stranded in a parking lot or what have you because your vehicle’s battery has died. Getting a battery test can reveal how much life it has remaining, how well the charging system performs and whether or not there are any signs of corrosion or loose connections. You should especially do this task if your battery is more than three years old, as it might be time for a replacement.
Inspect Tires for Wear & Proper Inflation
When you think of safety features, the first things that come to your mind are likely either advanced features like Lane Departure Alert and Forward Collision Braking, or they’re extremely simple like seatbelts and airbags. We very rarely think of tires when considering safety, but they’re your first line of defense. You should check your tire tread every so often, and right at the beginning of the year is a great time to do so.
But you should also check your tires’ air pressure on a regular basis, as proper inflation can improve your fuel efficiency and even extend the life of your tires. Lastly, consider getting an alignment check and your tires rotated and even balanced. You should rotate your tires on a similar timeline to oil changes, but rotations and balancing shouldn’t be neglected for too, too long either.
Check Your Fluids
There are a ton of fluids in your vehicle, way more than just the gasoline you pump every few days and the oil you get changed a couple of times a year. Now is a great time to make sure that your other fluids are at least topped off, if not completely flushed depending on how old the fluids are. Other fluids found in your vehicle include:
- Coolant/antifreeze
- Prevents overheating and protects your engine in cold temperatures.
- Brake fluid
- Essential for safe stopping power.
- Transmission fluid
- Keeps your transmission shifting smoothly.
- Windshield washer fluid
- A must‑have for winter driving visibility.
Replace Worn Wiper Blades
You should be replacing your windshield wiper blades every 6–12 months, so the beginning of the year is a great time to add this to your routine if it wasn’t already. If you’ve noticed the blades streaking, skipping or even squeaking, it’s likely time for a replacement. It might not seem that important, but if you’re suddenly caught in heavy rain or snow you’ll find out just how crucial visibility is.
Test All Lights & Signals
Make sure all of the exterior and interior lights in your vehicle are working properly, including your turn signals. Simply walk around your vehicle, perhaps with a partner sitting in the driver seat and triggering the different lights, to make sure they work as they should. Here are some examples:
- Headlights
- Brake lights
- Turn signals
- Reverse lights
- Interior lights
Get Your Chevy Serviced at Jim Glover Chevrolet
This checklist, which we’ll itemize below, should help make sure your Chevy vehicle is in tip-top shape as we pass through the new year. Let us know if you have any questions by giving us a call here at the sales desk, otherwise schedule your service appointment right here on the website!
- Schedule an oil & filter change
- Test your battery health
- Inspect tire tread, air pressure
- Check your fluids
- Replace worn wiper blades
- Test all lights & signals